This story was written for baylishmaylie for the 2018 HetSwap Exchange on AO3. She simply requested a fluffy Harry/Ginny or Ron/Hermione tale. I decided to give her both in one story! :)
Home Is Where The Heart Is
"Do you think that they will like it, mate?" Ron asked nervously for what seemed like the hundredth time as he and Harry did the final walk through of Grimmauld Place before going to pick up the girls from Kings Cross station. The two friends had spent every single moment that they could spare after Auror training (with the help of some of their family and friends) in order to get the house back in livable condition during this past year while Ginny and Hermione had finished up their time at Hogwarts. After all, they could not expect the girls to live in the disaster area that had been left after the Order of the Phoenix had deserted the place following Dumbledore's death – when the Secret Keeper protection had abruptly ended.
In fact, nobody had resided there at all since the Trio had used it briefly as their safe house during the Horcrux hunt. Therefore, it had required a lot of both physical and magical elbow grease and many man hours in order to make it worthy of their ladies again. Plus, the guys had no delusions about what their girlfriends would say if they were brought back to a dirty and disgusting home. They knew very well that their two independent and headstrong women would probably head straight back out and rent their own flat - just for the two of them - instead of sticking to the plan of all four of them sharing Grimmauld Place together as they had previously decided.
"It will be fine, Ron!" Harry said reassuringly again. They were on the third floor landing and he looked back down at the corridor towards the rooms located there. In order for each couple to have some privacy, they had decided that this floor would be for Ron and Hermione. Harry and Ginny would have the rooms on the second floor. On their individual floor, each couple would have a suite of rooms that included two bedrooms that shared a common room and a bathroom. That way, everyone could have their own individual privacy, as well, when they needed it. That was because they also knew the girls well enough not to assume anything, even if each couple had been together since the end of the final battle – over a year earlier. Consequently, the men had put a lot of thought into the setup…and they also paid close attention to all of the hints that both Ginny and Hermione had dropped about what they wanted in their new residence. Harry sighed and added, "Plus, you know that they will just change whatever they don't like anyway!"
Ron nodded. "That's true enough, mate! My little sister already has you wrapped around her little finger. She knows that you will let her do anything she wants."
Harry laughed. "I don't think that the word let has anything to do with it, Ron. Remember, Ginny knows more hexes than the two of us combined!"
"Don't I know it?" his best friend replied with a shudder. "I can still feel the last Bat Bogey one that she threw at me during the spring holidays at the Burrow – just because I took the last pancake at breakfast." He touched his nose gingerly at the memory.
"And don't forget how brilliant…and scary…Hermione can get with her charms," Harry reminded him as well and they both thought about her signature move: the flock of attacking birds.
"Merlin!" Ron exclaimed as realization dawned. "What are we getting ourselves into here?" The two men just looked at each other with wide eyes for a moment as they thought about that.
Before any doubts could start to invade their minds, however, they heard a noise from downstairs. It sounded as if it came from the entrance way. Therefore, they both pulled out their wands and pulled up their Auror training and war experience as they rushed down to see what had caused it.
A surprise awaited them when they arrived at the front door, however.
"Really, Ronald, put that away before you hurt someone!" scolded the lively haired brunette cheerfully - right before she flung herself into his arms at the same time that her redheaded companion attached herself to Harry.
"Mione…Ginny…What are you two doing here? We were just about to leave to go to the station to meet the train." Ron managed to say once he could speak again after her greeting kiss had left him breathless. He glanced over at his best mate and sister – only to see that they were still joined at the lips. Hermione followed his gaze and laughed. She then pulled him close again and smiled as she told him. "We didn't want to wait any longer to see our blokes, so we just apparated straight from Hogsmeade."
Ron grinned widely. "Well, this bloke is certainly happy to see you…and that one will be, too." He gestured at their mutual friend. "If he can quit molesting my baby sister long enough to notice our presence, that is!"
Harry did not bother to detach himself from Ginny long enough to acknowledge those words. However, he did manage to make a rather rude gesture at his girlfriend's brother from behind her back. After another moment or so, though, the two of them were forced to come up for air, as well. Harry was then able to greet his best female friend, and sister in everything but blood, with a tight hug and a smile that was meant just for her. "Welcome home, Mione!" he said warmly.
"Speaking of home," Ginny turned back towards her boyfriend after she gave her brother a quick hug and smoothed back her hair after the annoying git had purposely ruffled it. "Are we going to get the grand tour…or what?"
"After all, we have not been here for months," Hermione added excitedly. "We just can't wait to see what you have done with the place!"
The two men suddenly looked nervous again, but they each chivalrously offered an arm to their respective lady. Then they all proceeded to explore the rooms on the ground floor. The library was first and Hermione shrieked with delight when she saw it. Instead of the dark and slightly mildewy room that was filled with the oppressive and soul-sucking atmosphere that only a large concentration of "Dark" books could create, she was ecstatic to see that it was now light and airy with an overall serene feeling.
"What happened in here?" she asked in wonder as she gave both of her boys an excited hug.
"Bill and Fleur," her boyfriend answered as he kept one of his arms wrapped around her. "Bill removed all of the cursed books so that you, in particular, would not be in any danger. You know how those Blacks felt about anyone who was not a Pureblood." He paused to shake his head at the ignorance. "Then Fleur gave us some design ideas – especially since she knew how much you like French libraries."
"It's just wonderful," Hermione agreed as they moved on before she could decide that she was not going to ever leave her new favorite room.
The girls then saw the new kitchen area, which had Molly's obvious influence written all over it. She was the cook of the family after all, and she had made sure that the redesigned kitchen was well equipped with everything that the new housemates could need. That just served to insure the overall homey feeling of the room, however, and it was now very reminiscent of the warm kitchen at the Burrow.
In the adjoining lounge, the old tattered moldy furniture had been replaced with some more modern pieces and accessories that the girls had picked out over the spring holidays. Everything was in the traditional rich red and gold Gryffindor colors that meant so much to all of them. Both Ginny and Hermione nodded their approval at the arrangement of the furniture and of the large rampant Gryffindor lion situated above the refurbished fireplace and floo. Then they all headed up the stairs to see the second floor.
It was then Ginny's turn to shriek with surprise as she saw the common room that she would share with Harry. He had decorated it in the green and gold colors of the Holyhead Harpies team and had installed their logo above the fireplace in that room, as well. It was his way of showing how proud he was of the fact that Ginny had been recruited by the famous team and would be joining them for training later in the summer. The feisty redhead obviously approved, as well – based on the way she immediately launched herself at her boyfriend before she dragged him into one of the adjoining bedrooms.
As the door slammed shut behind them, Hermione looked over at her own boyfriend. She was obviously amused as she said, "I don't think that we will be seeing either of them any time soon."
Ron just grimaced. He was still getting used to the thought of his sister and Harry being together in that way, but he knew that it was definitely something that he was going to have to accept – especially since they were all going to be living together for the foreseeable future. However, his thoughts immediately then turned to the lovely woman beside him and he pulled her close.
"Would you like to go see our rooms now?" he asked in a low suggestive tone. After all, it had been several months since they had been alone together. Hermione flushed slightly at the implication and swatted lightly at his chest.
"Stop it, Ronald. You have to show me the rest of the house...first!" she answered teasingly.
That was all of the encouragement that he needed as he grabbed her hand and ran with her – away from Harry and Ginny's rooms. This was especially important because it was starting to become obvious that, in their haste, the two of them had neglected to put up a silencing charm. Therefore, Ron quickly led Hermione up the stairs.
Judging by the look in his eyes, which she had come to know well as their relationship had progressed in the past year, she had expected him to take her straight up to their rooms. However, he surprised her as they passed the landing of their floor and kept going towards the highest floor instead. "Oh, Ron," she breathed as he opened the door at the top. It led, not to a dusty dirty attic as she expected, but to a professional office space instead.
"Harry and I agreed that as the next Minister of Magic, you should have a nice place to work." Ron said with a grin at the sight of her pleased surprise at the wide desk and the wall of bookshelves that he knew would not stay empty for long.
Hermione swatted him lightly again. "Oh, hush you! Don't let Kingsley hear that you are giving his job away already," she admonished playfully. "Plus, I'm just going to be a twenty year old entry level worker in the 'R and C of Magical Creatures' department." Ron smiled at her constant refusal to use the words regulation and control when it came to her passion for equal rights for all sentient magical beings. His smile turned into a full-fledged grin as he thought about the fact that the Ministry was not going to know what hit them when she started her new position next month. Well, Kingsley might have a good idea, but Ron had a feeling that the Minister was just going to sit back and watch the show as Hurricane Hermione stormed through and effectively swept all of the debris out of that particular department for him.
"Entry level, my arse!" he exclaimed. "We all know that it's only going to be a matter of time before you take over the whole Ministry and…umph…" His words were suddenly cut off by her lips on his own. After the passionate toe curling kiss that followed, he was thrilled when she finally muttered her next words against his ear.
"I think that right now would be a really good time to show me our rooms."
Even though Ron had never been the best student, nobody could ever accuse him of being stupid. Therefore, he took his girlfriend up on her offer immediately. He picked her up in his arms and apparated with her straight into their common room. She gasped at the beautiful combination of colors and patterns there and her eyes filled with tears as she realized that it reminded her of her childhood home.
Her boyfriend confirmed her suspicions when he explained. "I knew that you missed your parents and your old house, so I got the idea from one of those funny little non-moving pictures in your album." As she showed her gratitude by showering him with kisses, he continued to carry her into one of the bedrooms. Soon after that, it became very obvious that they had forgotten to put up a silencing charm, as well!
Much later that evening, the four of them gathered around the table for their first dinner together as housemates. Harry happily raised his glass to share a toast with the rest of the close knit group. "Home is where the heart is!" he exclaimed. The others echoed the sentiment as they clinked their glasses together - happy in their friendship, their love, and in the knowledge that the newly renovated Grimmald Place was now the home where all of their hearts resided.